It was a cool spring morning as I set out on the path that led to my favorite spot by the creek. The rain last evening cleared the pollen and polished everything new. Along the route, on either side, buttercups were strewn with abandon and abundance. Their bright gold petals shone in the sunlight. Each flower seemed to be poised with arms outstretched toward heaven. Through gaps in the woods, I could see our neighbor’s pasture blanketed with buttercups. It looked as if the sun had swept across the grass and leaving droplets of color.
I found myself contemplating this simple act of praise to God sparked by a spray of buttercups. Like the sun that warms their faces and mine, I thought how these simple flowers seem to be growing in a way that gave glory to God. Sometimes I like to remember that every flower is placed along my walk by the hand of God. Nothing escapes His notice. Our Lord knows when a sparrow falls in the forest. He knows every petal and leaf of every wildflower along my path, including the buttercups that bring me and Him such joy.
Have you ever thought about the fact that most plants grow upward toward the sun and the sky? Many of the wildflowers don’t open unless the sun is warming their petals. The same is true of my roses. Tight buds appear one day, shooting skyward. The next day a hint of yellow or pink shows up as the bud swells and breaks from its green cap. The next day the bud is fully colored, and the following day I am graced with the pleasure of a blossom, fragrant and lovely to the eye. While the roses in my garden often nod their heads after a rain, they grow skyward again and open up their faces to the Lord once the moisture has departed.
Why is it that our flowers and plants grow heavenward? Some of it is the sun. But I also think it is by design of their Creator. Of course, we know that vines don’t grow in an upright manner, but if you look at the blossoms of the honeysuckle vine or clematis, you’ll see that they too are seeking a heavenward view of the world. It’s probably a good thing that the Lord limited the number of plants that wind and cover others. Without His forethought we would be wandering through massive tangles of vines every day instead of the orderly display of wildflowers in a field and along my pathway.
Why do I mention all of this? Because it reminded me how all of God’s creation praises Him every day just by being what they are created to be. So can we who are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”* If we know that God inhabits the praises of our lips, why would we not spend more time just thanking and praising Him for the lovely creation He has provided us?** It is a simple thing, but not so small in God’s eyes. He experiences delight in every moment of praise that issues from our hearts toward Him. Praise Him today, and tomorrow and every day after that until you stand before Him and praise His holy presence in heaven.
“And from the throne came a voice that said, ‘Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest.’”
Revelation 19:5 NLT
*Psalm 139:14 NIV
**Psalm 22:3 NLT
